It was a lover and his lass

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General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare Song from As You Like It Act V, Scene 3, sung by two pages at the request of Touchstone. In Shakespeare's First Folio verse 4 begins "And therefore take the present time", Morley's First Book of Ayres (1600) reading "Then, pretty lovers, take the time".

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Text and translations

English.png English text

1  It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
That o'er the green cornfields did pass.
In spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding-a-ding-a-ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

2  Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In spring time,…

3  This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
How that a life was but a flower
In spring time,…

4  Then, pretty lovers, take the time
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonny no,
For love is crownéd with the prime
In spring time,…

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